French lose the accent of love... as the Irish lilt is voted world's sexiest

There was a time when a Frenchman only had to order a pint of beer and women would collapse at his feet with desire.

Well those days, they are, 'ow you say, fini!

The Irish accent was yesterday voted the world's sexiest - knocking the Gauls off the top spot they've held for decades.

Helped by the likes of Colin Farrell, the Irish accent has knocjked the French off the top spot, no doubt to the dismay of Nicolas Sarkozy

Men with an Emerald Isle brogue, as promoted by stars like Colin Farrell and James Nesbitt, came top in a poll of 5,000 women worldwide.

The fall from grace of the French accent was laid firmly at the feet of president Nicolas Sarkozy, who has been accused of giving his countrymen a bad name by leering at women while married to Carla Bruni.

The Italian accent was deemed to be second most sexy followed by Scottish. The French only managed to limp into fourth place, just ahead of Australian. English was sixth.